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Rox Pile’s Hall of Fame Ballot Series: Part Seven

By Christian Espinoza

DENVER - JULY 9: Right fielder Larry Walker #33 of the Colorado Rockies hits a two-run double against the San Francisco Giants during the MLB game at Coors Field on July 9, 2003 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies won 11-7. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
DENVER - JULY 9: Right fielder Larry Walker #33 of the Colorado Rockies hits a two-run double against the San Francisco Giants during the MLB game at Coors Field on July 9, 2003 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies won 11-7. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON – OCTOBER 11: Vladimir Guerrero #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim reacts after hitting a two-run single in the ninth to take the lead against the Boston Red Sox in Game Three of the ALDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Fenway Park on October 11, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
BOSTON – OCTOBER 11: Vladimir Guerrero #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim reacts after hitting a two-run single in the ninth to take the lead against the Boston Red Sox in Game Three of the ALDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Fenway Park on October 11, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) /

Vladimir Guerrero

Vladimir Guerrero was one of baseball’s most talented hitters. I can’t speak to the entire history of baseball. However, in my lifetime, there hasn’t been many hitters with the kind of skill and coordination it takes to hit a ball that is shoulder high, or a half of a foot off the plate. Vladimir Guerrero was one of those guys.

Referring to our friends over at Baseball-Reference.com, over Vlad’s 16 seasons, he batted a career average of .318 with the power to hit 449 career homeruns. Using those career totals as benchmarks, only five players in history were able to match or best Vlad’s combination of batting average and homeruns. Oh yes, all of them are Hall of Famers by the names of Babe Ruth, Stan Musial, Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams and Jimmie Foxx.

Yet, despite Vladimir Guerrero’s propensity to swing at anything within his long-arm’s reach, he never had a single season where he struck out more than 95 times.

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Trevor Hoffman

Let us open up Spotify or Apple Music and queue up “Hells Bells” by AD/DC while you read this section. Alright, I know you can’t vote someone to the Hall of Fame based on the fact that they had the second greatest entrance of all time, only behind future Hall of Famer, Mariano Rivera.

However, you can vote someone to the Hall of Fame based on the fact they have the second most saves of all time, only behind Rivera. While there aren’t many relievers that have made it to the Hall of Fame, it’s hard to deny the durability, longevity, and consistency of Hoffman.

Trevor Hoffman is one of only three relief pitchers to accumulate at least 10 seasons with a minimum of 30 saves, along with Lee Smith and Rivera.

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